When Leo Met Mona
by Ghost of the Dawn
Summary: The guys find out Leonardo has been keeping a secret from the rest of his family. Rated for language and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

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Author's Notes: This story began shortly after the the first Bay-verse live action movie came out. It wasn't a great movie, but it was fun. I liked the fresh new origin, despite the roadblocks it gave itself. Even moreso, I liked the giant turtles I wanted to play with this new size difference and fiddle a bit with this new scenario. This is just a fanfic I work on when I feel like it. It's been sitting on my computer for a couple of years before I felt I had enough parts to publish online.

I'm going to give this one a language warning. This is a little more crass than I usually go. I thought it fit well with the tone of the movie-verse.

 **When Leo Met Mona**

 **By: Ty-Chou**

 **Chapter One**

Leonardo sat silently on the fire escape, five stories up from street level. Below him, people bustled about their normal, daily lives, unaware of his presence watching over them. The glow from the street lights below couldn't reach him and Leonardo was content to remain unnoticed in the darkness of night.

It had begun snowing about an hour ago and the turtle's motionless form was now covered in a soft layer of white. Leonardo did not move to brush it off. He sat with his eyes closed, nostrils flaring as he took in the scent of new snow. The city always seemed better under fresh powder; cleaner, softer. The snowfall seemed to swallow up all the white noise until only the strident blares of a car horn or siren would reach his ears. Otherwise, it was silent and Leonardo coveted the silence. He certainly found no quiet in the lair with his loud family.

A light switched on inside the window at the turtle's back. With the yellow glow on his shell, he shifted slightly to glance over. Moments later, the window slid open.

"Leonardo!" said a startled, female voice. "You're covered in snow! Get your shell inside before you freeze to death!" The window promptly slammed shut at the last word as to not let in any more of the cold.

Only then did the blue-clad turtle shift his body, coiling his muscles to stand. He was far too large to slip in through the window. Instead, he climbed the fire escape ladder to the roof and used the door to get into the building, brushing off bits of snow before entering. He silently crept down the metal stairway, peering out down the hall of the building's top floor. No one to be seen.

The room he was aiming for was conveniently closest to the stairs. When the door opened, Leonardo quickly slipped inside the apartment, shutting the door behind him. A woman waited for him; large chocolate brown eyes, thick brunette hair and wide shoulders. She was dressed very nice with pressed white shirt, black skirt and heels. She had a towel in her hands.

"How long were you sitting out there?" she demanded. "It's like 20 degrees outside." She began toweling him down, instead of giving him the towel to dry himself.

"It is not that cold," Leonardo countered patiently. "It warms up when it snows." Though his face remained neutral, he silently enjoyed the attention. The fluffy soft material rubbed over the back of his shell, then his arms as she moved to the front, patting down his chest with a softer touch.

"It's still too cold to be sitting out in the elements after dark," she ordered as she stood on her toes, looping the towel around his neck so he could use it to dry his face. She held him there, pulling on both ends of the towel to guide his face closer to hers. "I don't want you to get sick."

His light blue eyes peered through the darker mask, roving over her face as the side of his mouth ticked up slightly. "Okay, Mona Lisa."

She mirrored his smirk with one of her own, knowing full well he took personal amusement at saying her name. Leonardo and Mona Lisa; weren't they a funny pair? Even though he had known her a while now, he always used the full name even though most people just called her Mona.

She finally let him go and turned on her toes, heading for the sink and letting the water run until it turned hot. Mona Lisa owned a studio apartment, so there technically weren't any rooms in the unit, save for a tiny bathroom tucked away behind a door. The rest of the place consisted of a wide open space with a counter, sink, tiny stove, microwave and fridge for the kitchen area, then the rest of the area contained a mattress on the floor and a large bean bag with an old TV in front of it as the bedroom/living room. The whole place really wasn't much to speak of, but it was all she could afford.

"How long were you out there?" Mona Lisa asked as she filled a pot with hot water and put it on the stove to boil. "Why were you waiting out in the snow?"

"It's Thursday," Leonardo said pragmatically. "Thursday's movie night."

"Yeah, but I got called in to work. I left you a note on the-" she pointed to the window to find it empty. There was a piece of paper on the counter, "-counter that I forgot to tape to the window before I left. Either way, I thought you'd go home when you saw I wasn't here, not wait hours in the snow."

Leonardo just smiled that patient smile, wet towel in his hands after he had no more use for it. "I didn't mind waiting."

Mona Lisa just huffed and took the towel from him, tossing it in the bin in the corner. "Either way, we'll have hot chocolate in a minute. But first, I gotta change out of these clothes and..." she hissed as she peeled the black heeled shoes from her frozen feet. "Man, these stupid things are just tearing me up. I don't think I've worn heels all day since... ever."

Leonardo leaned against the counter, slightly amused. "How is the new job going- aside from the shoes?"

"Great! This place is so fancy; nearly a hundred bucks a platter, I'm making more in tips than my other two jobs combined. And I can use that money. That's why I said I'd fill in today. You know I usually take Thursday nights off religiously, but I want to make sure these guys know that they can count on me."

She retrieved a bucket from under the sink, filling it with hot water, before moving to the corner designated as the 'bedroom' and digging through the clothes on the floor for something comfortable.

Leonardo observed her ass in that tight skirt as she bent over. "I like the uniform, too," he added cheekily.

"Of course you do," she retorted. She kept her back to him as she unbuttoned her blouse and Leonardo politely looked away. It was the best privacy that could be offered in such a space, but Mona Lisa was used to it; to him. At first, she found it so novel how proper he was when it came to propriety. Now, she just thought it very sweet and was confident she wouldn't have any wandering eyes while she quickly changed.

In just a few moments, she was back at the kitchen counter, now wearing a pink sweater and purple flannel pj pants. She took the bucket and sat with it on the bean bag, rolling up her pant legs and putting her feet in the warm water with another hiss.

"Gah, my toes are so cold. I think I'm going to have to commute in sneakers and then change at work or my feet are not going to make it." She pulled one foot out, noting the blisters on her heel with a grimace.

"Here, let me see." Leonardo crouched before her. Even on his knees, his height and the girth of his shoulders dwarfed her. Gently, he placed her leg on his thigh, lightly touching the damage with his thumb. He grimaced in sympathy at the broken skin. "It will take a while to build up callouses."

"In the meantime, lots and lots of band-aids," she joked.

Leonardo pressed his thumbs to the taunt muscles at the bottom of her foot and she suddenly gasped, arching a little and clutching the beanbag material in her fist.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a breathy voice.

"Relaxing the sore muscles. Have you not had a foot massage before?"

He continued to rub her foot, and she continued to squirm.

"I've never had... anyone touch my feet before." She was glancing around as if looking for someone to save her from his grasp.

"Does it hurt that bad?"

"No, it feels..." she paused to bite her lip, "...really good." Maybe too good. God, was she that desperate for a man's touch?

Satisfied, Leonardo continued with his task, thoroughly working the tight, stubborn cords of a woman who was very used to being on her feet all day. He watched in amusement as she continued to fight the impulse to writhe in pleasure under his ministrations. The small gasps and squeaks were enough to make the turtle happy to be her personal masseuse all day.

"You are so sensitive."

Mona Lisa instantly turned bright red at the accusation. "Shut up! I am not!"

"So responsive. Every little touch."

Her hands flew up to hide her face as she jerked her foot from his grasp and put it back in the bucket of warm water.

Leonardo remained there, crouched patiently as she continued to hide behind her long, delicate fingers.

"I have to do the other foot," he then said.

"No you don't," she insisted behind her palms.

"I cannot leave a job half finished. It is part of my code as a ninja."

"That is a load of crap!"

"I'm not moving. I can wait here all night."

She remained where she was, coiled and tense, face still hidden by her hands. Leonardo didn't move, didn't make a sound. With a sigh, Mona Lisa relented, lifting her other foot from the water. It was received with large, capable hands.

Leonardo pressed his thumb to her sensitive arch, earning another sharp intake of air. Silently he went to work, coaxing out involuntary small breaths and tiny sounds from her throat. For a moment, he closed his eyes, concentrating on his work and those lovely sounds. He committed them to memory so as to revisit them on darker, less friendly nights.

He looked up to find that Mona Lisa had managed to snag a shirt off the floor and had put the material over her head to better hide from him. He couldn't stop the chuckle that rumbled from his chest.

"Shut up!" she barked, suddenly coming to life. She yanked back the second foot, throwing the shirt at his head. "This is all your fault, you and your magic fingers!"

She scrambled away before he could do anything more to her, sitting on the floor mattress to put on some socks and comfortable shoes. That would keep her safe from that turtle menace.

In turn, Leonardo took a subtle sniff of the shirt, finding her pleasing scent upon it, then tossed it gently back at her, hitting her right in the face. Mona Lisa merely swatted it away and got up to address the now boiling water on the stove.

"Jeeze, I feel like I need a cigarette or something after that." Her face was still a little pink in embarrassment, but the color was fading.

"When you train as much as we have, you learn how to take care of sore muscles," the turtle offered.

Mona Lisa glanced at him once more before retrieving the cocoa powder for their drinks. This was her reality now, having this massive intelligent being as part of her life and she regretted none of it. As bizarre as the mere existence of the turtle was, maybe their relationship was even more bizarre with how little they actually told each other about their personal lives. She knew his name, but he had never told her exactly what he was or where he came from, and she had never asked.

In the few months they had known each other, Leonardo only told her just a few things about himself. She knew he lived somewhere underground, she knew he had a family: a father and three brothers. She knew the family had trained in ninjutsu all their lives. She knew his brothers were also turtles like him. His father, she wasn't so sure what his species was, but the way Leonardo had talked about him, Mona Lisa assumed he was different than them. Maybe human, maybe something else.

Mona Lisa had never been to his home and had never met any members of his family. She never asked to, and Leonardo had never offered. For now, she was okay with that. Having one giant talking turtle in her life seemed like plenty, and she was comforted knowing he had others like him to return home to. She also had an idle suspicion that while she knew about Leonardo's family, they did not know about her. And for now, she was quite okay with that, too.

"You hungry?" she then suggested, opening the fridge. "How does reheated lasagna sound?"

"Sounds good to me."

Leonardo had yet to say no to any food she offered him. Sometimes she brought home dishes from the restaurants where she worked and other times she cooked herself. She secretly enjoyed cooking for more than one. In Leonardo's case, it was more like cooking for about four. It look a lot of fuel to power that large body, those strong muscles.

As she put a nearly full pan of homemade lasagna in the oven to reheat, she glanced over at the form sitting patient and cross-legged on the floor. His shell was to her and she watched the twin swords strapped to his back. Those dual blades she had only seen unsheathed once, the day she met him. Otherwise, they had remained harmless and snug in their homes, but Leonardo never visited without them.

As the food heated, she padded over to kneel next to him, placing a steaming mug of hot chocolate in his hands. He took it with the same grace he did everything else and daintily sipped it. Mona Lisa was left feeling a bit awkward next to him despite his bulky form.

"So, um..." she began, playing with her hair. It was a nervous tick she displayed whenever uncomfortable. "I was wondering... I know you have a family and all and you probably have plans, but... do you maybe want to do something Christmasy before Christmas sometime? I was going to work the holiday anyway."

Leonard glanced over at the top of her head as she continued to play self-consciously with her hair. He knew Mona Lisa did not have any family. At least any that were a part of her life. That's all he knew. It was a very strange feeling to know a human who had less than he. When he was young and undisciplined, he recalled being insanely jealous of the humans who could walk around as they pleased, who had everything he did not. It seemed like a charmed existence to be human. But things were not always as they appeared to be. He always had his brothers and a father that supported him. Mona Lisa at least at this part in her life, had no one.

"Like we could go get you a Christmas tree?" he offered.

She snorted. "Where would I fit a tree in this dinky little place?" Yet, the idea of bringing Leonardo to a tree lot was amusing. He could probably carry one tree home in each arm without breaking a sweat. She was suddenly greatly entertained with the idea of him effortlessly swinging a Christmas tree around like a baseball bat.

"My brother has this Christmas tree hat that lights up. How about that?"

She smirked. "Only if you wear it." Then she added. "We could make cookies or something and watch some Christmas movies?" Alas, there was very little else they could do together aside from watching movies in her tiny apartment. "No presents required. We'll just have a little Christmas party. I'll make dinner."

He raised a brow at her. "Are you getting me a present?"

She grinned at him. "Maaaaaybeeee. Is there something specific you want?"

He sipped his cocoa with dignity. "Dinner is all I want."

She huffed. "Fine. Since Christmas is a Thursday, how about we do the Christmas party Tuesday?"

"A party of two?" he asked.

"Aren't those always the type of parties we have?"

He smiled slightly. "I will be there."

She cutely scrunched up her face and made a happy noise before skittering off to get him a plate of food.

Soon, they were settled on the floor in front of the TV, dinner in their laps. Mona Lisa started whatever movie she happened to get from the Red Box around the corner. One day she hoped to be able to afford some sort of way to get Netflix to increase their viewing choices. Maybe this new job would help her with that. Until then, Leonardo was at the mercy of whatever title she felt like renting at the time.

This week's selection was another paranormal-induced horror story and Leonardo was not surprised. Mona Lisa liked to watch them, but was too scared to watch them by herself. Leonardo didn't mind too much. Ghostly horror movies weren't really his thing, but it was hard to say no to Mona Lisa nearly crawling in his lap by the end of the movie, her soft breasts pressed against his arm as she clung to him, staring wide-eyed at the screen.

But at the end of the movie she would peel herself off him and put the dishes in the sink while Leonardo prepared to leave, knowing any offer he made to help with the dishes would be soundly shot down.

"Thanks for dinner," Leonardo said as Mona Lisa checked the hall for any eye witnesses.

"Always," she smiled. "Work wants me to come in again next Thursday night, but I'll make sure I take that Tuesday before Christmas off, okay?"

Leonardo nodded as he slipped out the door. "See you then."

He heard the door close behind him as he silently padded up to the stairwell and then out into the cold of night. The big fat snowflakes that had been falling earlier had now slimmed down to emaciated flecks of white floating weakly in the air.

Out of curiosity, he climbed down the outside fire escape to return to her window, taking a few moments to watch her clean dishes in silence. Then he cheekily knocked on the glass and smirked when she jumped at the unexpected noise.

Her eyes flashed over to the window and she stalked toward him, yanking it up.

"You sure you'll be okay alone?" Leonardo teased. "That was a pretty scary movie. What if that evil spirit comes to get you?"

She smirked back at him. "Please, this little place? What's it going to haunt?"

Leonardo smiled at her, but he could picture Mona Lisa in bed in the dark, blanket tucked to her chin while she stared wide eyed at the ceiling. She would listen for any little sound, freaking herself out as the movie's curse hung over her head. The notion of that mental image filled Leonardo with an urge to stay, to join her in her bed and keep her warm and safe. And that idea wandered into other thoughts involving them and the bed that were entirely inappropriate and he quickly chased them away.

"You need to go home and get out of the snow before you catch a cold," Mona Lisa then said. She reached out and touched his forehead. "You already feel chilled."

"I'm a turtle. My body temperature is lower than yours."

"Just go home. I don't want to worry about you."

"Yes ma'am." Leonardo smiled as she shut the window in his face. That smile continued all the way into the sewers.


	2. Chapter 2

**.**

 **When Leo Met Mona**

 **Chapter Two**

"Yo, Leo, where ya goin'?"

The blue-clad turtle paused in his exit at the sound of Raphael's voice. He turned to find the larger turtle's form swallowing all the space around him in the sewer tunnel.

"You goin' on one of your 'walks'?" He made quotation marks with his fingers to illustrate that he didn't buy that all Leonardo did was walk when he went out. "It's not even Thursday."

"Thursday's Christmas," Leonardo said patiently. "I'd rather spend that day with all of you. So I'm going on my walk today."

"Yeah, and you missed last Thursday," Raphael continued, searching his brother's face for some sort of tell. "Why was that exactly? Off your cycle?"  
Leonardo didn't play into the goading. "All the more reason to get out today. You know with April this year, this place is going to get noisy. I'd like to get a little quiet time before that happens."

Raphael unfolded his arms, loosening his stance. "Yeah, Mikey won't shut up about it. He's going to turn this place upside down just for her."

Leonardo looked him in the eyes. "You really don't mind. It will be fun. But I'd like a moment of quiet and zen before all that happens."

"Alright, Leo," Raphael relented. Even though he didn't know what the blue-clad turtle did when he left the lair, he wasn't hard pressed to know. The lair was small, stifling. Each one of them had their ways of getting out and away to get some space from the rest of the family. As a turtle who coveted his own privacy, Raphael certainly didn't want to take that away from any of his siblings.

He clapped Leonardo on the shoulder with a "Later, bro," and walked off.

Thinking he would now be able to leave without further detainment, Leonardo was proven mistaken to find Donatello now standing in his way. The leaner, purple-clad turtle stubbornly held out a small device to him.

Leonardo gave him an annoyed look. "Really, Don?"

Donatello took his wrist, slapping the homemade cellular device in his palm. "Splinter's orders. I made them; no one leaves the lair without one."  
Leonardo frowned at the thing. The cell phones had tracking devices in them.

"Look, I don't care where you go, Leo," Donatello said. "I don't monitor everyone's whereabouts. Just take it in case you need us. Or if we need you, okay?"

Without a word, Leonardo tucked the device in his belt and went on his way. Donatello adjusted his glasses as he watched his brother go.

* * *

Mona Lisa answered her door, eyes bright and a Santa hat on her head. She was wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater Leonardo had ever seen: a reddish brown color with reindeer. Behind her, a single string of multicolored Christmas lights hung without grace by a few thumbtacks.

"Leo!" she beamed when he was safely inside. "Merry Christmas!" She threw her arms around him, unable to fully encircle his impressive girth.

He politely placed his free hand on her back to return the gesture, the other seemed to be preoccupied with a bag he carried. He touched the tips of her hair before pulling back.

"Merry Christmas. I brought something."

Mona Lisa's brown eyes lit up. "Yeah?

He gave her a secretive smile before turning his back to her and digging in the pack he brought with him. When he faced her again, he had a tiny tree perched on his head. Multicolored lights flickered on, decorating the turtle in holiday tackiness.

Mona Lisa laughed, clapping her hands. "Best Christmas ever!" She grabbed his wrist, pulling him toward the kitchen area. "I made cookies. We can decorate them while the ham is cooking."

Behind them, a fuzzy copy of "It's a Wonderful Life" was already playing on the TV with the help of an old VCR. On the counter, sugar cookies in the shapes of snow flakes, trees and such were waiting to be iced while the tantalizing smell of meat and bread wafted from the oven. Leo took a moment to take in the simple, but festive atmosphere and, for a moment, he wished his brothers could be here to feel the peaceful contentment he felt. Though, he had to remind himself, if the others were here, the peaceful part would be tossed right out the window.

Maybe next year. Maybe he, Mona Lisa, and all his family could be together for Christmas next year. With that thought in mind, Leonardo picked up a tree-shaped cookie and a butter knife. Mona Lisa had a few different bowls of colored icing set out. He attempted to spread green icing on the pastry, only to have the delicate cookie break in half under his strength. Undaunted, he grabbed another to try again. By the forth broken cookie, Leonardo was starting to get frustrated.

Mona Lisa was grinning as he huffed. She popped part of one of his failed cookies in her mouth.

"I should be better at this," he insisted. "I'm a skilled ninja. I know how to control my own strength."

"So you'll never be a pastry chef." Mona Lisa winked at him. "I still like you anyway."

At that point, the oven dinged that the food was done and Leonardo's poor cookies were momentarily forgotten in way of ham and potatoes, and James Stewart on the fuzzy screen. Leonardo only gave it half his attention, distracted by his own secret plans. The movie was nearly over when Mona Lisa became aware that his gaze stayed thoughtfully on her far more than the TV screen.

"Something on your mind?" she challenged with a raised brow.

Leonardo placed his empty plate on the floor beside him. "I have a confession. I brought a present for you."

The girl's face suddenly lit up. "I actually have one for you, too. But you can go first."

"Alright." He stood, returning to the bag left at the door. He reached in and pulled out what looked like a leather harness, something he clearly had made himself.

Mona Lisa took one look at it and instantly snorted.

"What?" the turtle demanded.

"Leo, I didn't know you were into that kind of thing. Where's the riding crop to go with it?" Her face was full of unbridled glee.

"That's not what it's for," he insisted.

She was still grinning madly. "Then what exactly do I do with my... present?"

He gave her a confident smile. "Come with me to the roof and I'll show you." Then, he did the one thing Mona Lisa never thought she'd see him do. Leonardo removed those constant sheaths and swords from his back.

* * *

Several minutes later, now bundled in her winter gear, Mona Lisa stared down at the street far below and regretted agreeing to Leonardo's gift. At the moment, she was snugly secured in the handmade harness, strapped to Leonardo's back. She clung to his neck, her teeth chattering from more than just the cold as he stood on the edge of the roof, nothing but several stories of open air below them.

"Is it too late to back out now?" she joked with a shaky voice.

His response was calm. "Yes. Hold on."

With the coiling of powerful legs, they were suddenly airborne. Mona Lisa let out a heavy gasp, clinging to the large turtle's neck as they flew above the streets. They landed on the next rooftop with a jerking halt and Mona Lisa was very glad Leonardo left his swords in her apartment. Her body against the smooth, hard shell was bad enough. Being jerked around against those sheaths would bang up all her bits and pieces.

Looking quite proud of himself, Leonardo only gave her a few moments to catch her breath and he was off, racing effortlessly along the rooftop as if she weighed nothing to him. He sprang into the air again, landing with a graceful slide in the snow. The next building was far too high, even for him. He leaped for the fire escape, catching the rungs of the shaky metal ladder and climbing to the top to do the whole thing over once more.

It took a couple of jumps for Mona Lisa to figure out when to tense her own muscles for a smoother ride. Soon she found her rhythm and building after building flew by before her eyes. Her apartment building was left far behind, just a collection of tiny yellow lights to blend in with all the others in the dark cityscape.

And Leonardo, he was still going at full speed. He was breathing harder, but it didn't seem like he would be tiring any time soon. The added weight of her on his back didn't seem to slow him at all and Mona Lisa marveled at his strength. She felt the power of his legs, watched the rippling of his arm muscles as he hefted them upward. She was suddenly overcome with an urge to feel those muscles moving beneath her fingers and it made her face go warm.

Time seemed to fly by as the festive lights of the city whizzed passed them. At the same time, Mona Lisa was sure they had been out almost an hour now; her muscles were still keeping track of the time. She eventually told Leonardo she needed a break and he let her down, muscles hot and trembling as he lowered her to stand on her own.

Mona Lisa stretched her stiff back, then her arms above her head. Next, she did a few squats to loosen the muscles of her thighs. Leonardo wandered nearby, giving himself a cool down as steam wafted slightly from his heated skin.

"So, I'm assuming that's how you usually get around the city," she commented.

"When I don't have cash for the subway," he teased back.

Mona Lisa pulled her fingers from her gloves and rubbed them together. Despite being covered from the wind chill, they were still freezing. She blew on them to try to warm them up.

"Here," Leonardo said, taking her hands. His fingers were just as cold as hers, but he placed her digits in the crook of his elbow as the heated skin warmed her up.

"How are you not freezing?" she demanded. "No coat, no gloves. You don't even wear shoes."

He shrugged. "I'm just that good, I suppose."

She smirked at him.

Leonardo looked like he was going to say something else when he suddenly tensed. His eyes grew hard, staring at something past the top of her head and Mona Lisa glanced over her shoulder to see what he was looking at.

On the next rooftop over, with a very terrifyingly small amount of space between them, stood several men dressed in black. Mona Lisa barely had a moment to realize they were all armed with both guns and blades before the two of them were fired upon. The sound of gunfire tore through the air as Mona Lisa was suddenly whisked off her feet.

Leonardo raced for the roof's edge, launching himself at full speed as bullets tore up the ground at his feet. Without the added safety of the harness, Mona Lisa had no choice but to cling to his neck. She swore she heard a bullet or two ricochet off his shell as they landed. Leonardo let out a grunt of pain in her ear before leaping over the edge of the second building and dropping out of sight between the two.

In mid air, he caught the rail of a fire escape, then rebounded off the side of the next building to land neatly on the street below. Mona Lisa remained bridal style in his arms as he raced silently through the dark alleys. Internally, his mind was in a panic. Leonardo had broken one of his sensei's most sacred rules: never leave your weapons behind.

Of course, the one time in his entire life he removed his swords, that would be the time he would stumble onto the Foot Clan. Or had the Foot stumbled upon him? He wasn't sure. The problem was even if he could make it back to Mona Lisa's apartment for his katana, he couldn't risk leading his enemies to her home. He would have to get creative and face them without his blades. But first, he had to lead them away from Mona Lisa.

Around the next corner, there were the remains of an old, abandoned building. More importantly, the snow around it was littered with multiple foot prints, a perfect place to hide. Instead of going inside the building, Leonardo knelt next to a pile of wood planks and bricks covered by an orange tarp to help shield the materials from the elements. There was a space just large enough between the pile and the building wall for a thin human to slip inside.

"Stay here," Leonardo ordered, pushing her into the crevasse. "I'll lead them away."

Mona Lisa stared wildly at his bleeding arm where he had been grazed by a bullet. "You're hurt! Who are these people?"

"Foot Clan."

She froze. The terrorist group known as the Foot were all over the news. She had heard plenty about them, but never actually thought she'd see one in person. She suddenly couldn't think any more. Would they kill her? What would they do to Leo?

Leonardo thrust a phone-like device in her hand. "I'm going to lead them away. As soon as they're gone, push that blue button. Whoever answers, you tell them where you are and you don't leave this spot until they come to get you."

"But, Leo-"

Strong flashlights licked the side of the building and bullets peppered the brick around them.

"That's an order!"

And with that, Leonardo disappeared from her sight. Mona Lisa remained hunched and shivering in the darkness as she heard the excited shouts of men and more gunfire. Eventually, the noise fell into the distance, and she thought it a miracle the Foot never discovered her. How could they have not noticed her presence with her teeth chattering as loud as a jackhammer?

But soon, everything fell silent. Leonardo was out there all alone and there was nothing she could do to help him.

Tears of fear and frustration stung her eyes as Mona Lisa pushed the button with clumsy, gloved fingers. She held the phone to her ear with trembling hands as it began to ring.

"Yeeeeeees?" came a rather blithe male voice on the other end. The owner sounded somewhat distracted, as if she had called while he was in the middle of something else.

Mona Lisa just sat there, shaking and breathing hard into the phone. She didn't know who this was. Her head had gone completely blank on what she should say.

"Anyone there?" the voice continued. "Leo? If you're trying to give me crap for making you take the phone with you-"

"Leonardo!" She suddenly jumped at the familiar name. "They're after him! He led them away! He needs help! Please help him!"

The person on the other end was silent for several seconds. "This isn't April, is it?"

"I... don't know who that is."

More silence. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. Who is this and what's going on with Leo?"

Fresh tears spilled from her eyes, stinging her cheeks as they turned to ice. "The Foot; they had guns. Leo led them away. He told me to call this number and tell whoever answered where I was. But I'm not the one who needs help, he does! He's out there all alone and there's so many of them!" She paused as her whits finally caught up with her. "Is this... one of his brothers?"

"It is," came the hesitant response. "I'm Donatello."

"Mona Lisa."

Another pause. "I'm sorry, what?"

* * *

It took a little ninja finesse to alert both Raphael and Michelangelo about their oldest brother's predicament without Splinter finding out, but Donatello managed to rally the other two and flee the lair without raising suspicion. But it wasn't just their sensei Donatello was withholding information from. As he told the other two about Leonardo's encounter with the Foot, he purposefully left out the fact that the phone call had been with a woman and not Leonardo himself.

Donatello considered himself a prudent turtle. There had to be a reason Leonardo had not shared his friendship with this Mona Lisa with the rest of them. And the purple-clad turtle wasn't about to be the one to spill the beans until he had more information about the situation. For now, he would steer his brothers in the direction of finding Leonardo and let the rest of his secrets sort themselves out in their own time.

"Where to, Donny?" Raphael demanded as they ran. He was getting further ahead in his haste for a fight.

Donatello consulted his instruments, distracting him from keeping an eye on the tunnels before him and slowing him down. "We're getting close to the spot where he dropped the phone. We'll have to track him from there. The next manhole cover should put us almost right under it."

"Dude, sensei's going to flip when he finds out Leo went out to fight the Foot alone," Michelangelo said. "He's gonna be in so much trouble."

"He'll be in more trouble if I find out the Foot got the better of his ass," Raphael grouched back. "What's that idiot doing going out alone like that?"

Up ahead, dim light coming from a streetlamp on the surface trickled down from the holes in a manhole cover. Raphael surged up the ladder, easily knocking the heavy cover aside, but struggling to wriggle his impressive bulk out of the opening. He heard Michelangelo snicker below him and blindly tried to kick his brother in the face before finally yanking himself free.

Instantly, the red-clad turtle was in the snow like a bloodhound, checking all the human-made prints for something a little more abnormal; something with two toes.

"I got him! Looks like they chased him this way. Come on, Mikey!"

"I'll catch up," Donatello called after them. "Gotta find the phone first."

If either of the other two had a response for him, they were already too long gone for Donatello to hear. Good, he preferred it that way. Once alone, he consulted his instruments again and followed the tracking signal right to a pile of construction material covered by a raggedy tarp. Pushing his glasses further up his nose, he crouched before the only opening large enough for a person to hide. In the darkness he found a shivering, female form who stared at him with large, haunted eyes.

"Hi, Mona Lisa?" he said gently and placed a hand to his plastron. "Donatello, at your service."

She didn't move.

"You're safe now, it's okay. Come on out."

Slowly she revealed herself, standing on weak, shaky legs. Donatello noted he had never seen a human with such large, expressive eyes before. Not that he had seen that many humans to begin with.

"What... what about Leo?" she asked in a small voice.

"Leo will be fine, I sent our two other brothers out after him." The girl's skin was so pale, her lips nearly blue. Donatello was sure that wasn't a healthy sign. He wanted to put his arm around her, pull her in close to warm and assure her. But he also had no idea as to the proper physical protocol between a mutant turtle and a human female on their first meeting, so his arm just hung awkwardly in the air. "Come on, let's get you someplace safe and out of the cold."

When he guided her to the open manhole, he thought he might get some argument from it, but Mona Lisa followed without hesitation into the darkness. There, Donatello lead the way through the dark tunnels, his brain going a million miles an hour. What was he supposed to do with this girl? Did Leo mean for him to take her back to the lair? Where else could they go? He really had no choice.

Behind him, the human stumbled in the dark, sliding painfully into a pipe sticking out of the sewer wall. The tunnel was nearly pitch black inside. Living below ground their whole lives, the turtles could see quite well in the sewers, but Mona Lisa didn't have such a luxury.

"Sorry, I forgot to bring a flashlight. You could... take my hand... maybe?" There was apology in his voice at the suggestion. Human girls like April, they were so dainty and beautiful. Being around them made him feel awkward and ugly, like he had no right to even look at such creatures, let alone force them to touch a thing like him. But he didn't want the girl to hurt herself in the darkness either. He couldn't imagine Leonardo being too pleased to find this Mona Lisa more banged up than when he left her due to Donatello's negligence. He at least had to offer; his hand held out shyly, too timid to look at her reply.

In the darkness, a smaller hand found his and Donatello stiffened as it tightened around his fingers. There was no hesitance as Mona Lisa moved in, attaching herself to his arm and holding tight.

 _Oh, God,_ Donatello's mind suddenly panicked. He never thought he'd find himself in this situation in a million years. _Oh God, oh God, oh God. A girl's touching me! She's holding my hand! It's so small! IS THAT HER BOOB ON MY ARM? I'm feeling a girl's boob!_

"Thank you," Mona Lisa said, throwing him from his internal panic attack. "Thanks for coming for me. I know this is really pathetic. I wish I was better at things like this. I wish I knew what to do instead of just stupidly hiding there, waiting for help like some dumb little kid."

"No, no, it's totally okay! I don't mind at all, really. Any friend of Leo's, you know?" There was a moment of silence as he led them along. "Um... if you don't mind me asking, how long have you known Leo?"

"Since this past spring sometime. Not... too long." Actually, Mona Lisa remembered up to the exact date and time she met Leonardo, so significant an event it was in her life. But she decided to downplay it. She almost started in on how the two of them met, but then closed her mouth again. Leonardo never told his family about her for a reason. Still, she felt bad that she was a blatant secret in the midst of this brotherhood and there wasn't much she could do about it.

"Could you maybe... do you know why he's never mentioned you before?" Donatello asked. "Uh- you don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

"I'm honestly not sure. He's told me a bit about you—that he has brothers— but he's never offered anything more than that and I never asked."

"Oh. Well, I guess that's Leo. He likes to keep to himself most of the time. Not that we're his family or anything." Donatello couldn't help but let that last comment slip out. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little hurt at knowing Leonardo kept such a secret from all of them.

Mona Lisa sensed it instantly. "I really had a feeling he was planning on having us meet sometime in the near future. I think he was just waiting for the right time."

 _What time would that be?_ Donatello idly wondered. _When he was announcing plans to marry her?_ He was suddenly so curious as to what exactly his brother's relationship was with this woman, but he knew it would be a bit too forward, too impolite to ask. Having seen the woman for himself, he didn't blame Leonardo for wanting to keep her from his brothers. While she wasn't as drop dead gorgeous as April, this Mona Lisa was pretty enough with full lips and large, dark doe eyes that could really drag a turtle into their depths.

Shaking himself, he asked her no more questions as he guided her through the darkness. Mona Lisa seemed satisfied with the silence, the chill of her shock still working its way through her system. But she was thankful to be underground. It felt safer here in the dark. It was strangely warmer as well. The frigid winds could not reach them in the tunnels as steam from heated pipes hissed in the blackness.

Mona Lisa wasn't sure how far they walked, how much time they spent wandering the tunnels. Her thoughts continued to bring her back to Leonardo. Where was he? Did his brothers find him? Would he be okay? She should have insisted he take his swords along somehow. How would he fare now against a group of armed men? Would she ever see him again?

"Here we are," Donatello said, breaking her from her thoughts. Lights appeared ahead as they stepped into a large, oval entrance way. "Home sweet home. Watch your step."

Mona Lisa stepped over the raised doorway, her hand still in Donatello's to keep her balance. She stared in wonderment at the compact den, decorated with a few decade's worth of eclectic souvenirs and clutter. From boomboxes to vinyl records, old traffic signs and license plates; posters, trinkets and a mismatch of old furniture.

This was their home. This was Leonardo's home. Mona Lisa fell in love with it instantly.

"If you would like to take a seat," Donatello was saying, motioning to the couch, "maybe I can find you something to drink. I'm sure we won't be waiting long until-"

"Donatello!" a sharp voice interrupted him.

The turtle flinched, stiff at the terror of being discovered. He slowly turned around. Behind the impressive girth of the turtle's shell, Mona Lisa managed to catch a glimpse of a rat like figure in a dark robe standing before them. This had to be their sensei, their father.

"What is going on?" Splinter demanded. "Who is that and why is she here?"

"Well, uh, you see, she was hiding, sensei," Donatello fumbled. "I found her- I mean, I didn't just randomly find her on the street and bring her down here, that would be stupid." He snorted with a nervous laugh. Donatello was never any good at articulation when under pressure. "No, see, this started when I got a call from Leo. He-"

"Leonardo?" The rat's ears perked up and he looked around, suddenly realizing only one of his four sons was anywhere around. "Donatello, where are your brothers? You will come with me, you have a lot of explaining to do."

"Yes, sensei." Donatello's breathing had gone into short, nervous breaths, but he followed as he was beckoned. Boy, they were in it now.

Mona Lisa sat obediently on the couch, waiting with hands in her lap. She could hear the quiet staccato of Donatello's nervous voice, but was unable to make out any of the words. The deeper tone of Splinter rumbled in and out as the two exchanged dialog for several minutes. Mona Lisa had the distinct feeling Donatello was now in trouble because of her and she suddenly regretted being there. She should have just insisted he take her home instead.

The conversation continued and Mona Lisa remained where she was, tapping her foot and glancing around the lair. It was really warm in there, like stuffy warm. Eventually, she shed her coat and gloves, only to find herself still wearing that hideous Christmas sweater. She had bought it for a joke, but she was embarrassed to be meeting Leonardo's family for the first time while wearing it. The sweater came off as well, leaving her in a white camisole.

Suddenly, she heard the rumble of new voices entering the lair and she stiffened, staring apprehensively at the entrance way. Two large turtle figures stepped inside; neither of them were Leonardo. The first one to see her was shorter than the blue-clad turtle, his face banded in orange. He froze when he saw her on the couch, eyes wide. Mona Lisa braced herself for another angry family member.

"Woah!" Michelangelo announced and plopped himself on the couch. The weight of his form dropping next to her caused Mona Lisa to bounce up a little from the impact. Michelangelo stretched an arm around the back of the couch, lightly brushing her shoulders. "Yo, what's up girl. You my Christmas present?" He glanced over to his much larger, red-banded brother who was staring at the scene not looking happy at all. "Raph, look what I got! Christmas came early and Mikey has been oh good this year."

He leaned in and sniffed her hair. "You smell good, baby doll. What's your name?"

"How about what the hell is she doing here?" Raphael demanded. He stood over her, his bulk swallowing up all the free space around them. He was bigger than Leonardo and Mona Lisa was scared. "You wanna tell me what you're doing in my damn home?"  
Mona Lisa opened her mouth to reply, but nothing would come out.

Michelangelo put an arm around her shoulders. "Relax, Raph. You gotta be nice to the ladies. This is why you'll never get a girlfriend." He then turned his attention to her. "Calm, sweet cheeks, all the ladies are welcome in the Casa de Mikey."

Raphael looked fit to start yelling when Donatello hurried into the room, stepping between the human and the massive turtle. "Oh, hey guys. I see you met Leo's friend. He asked me to keep her safe until he got back." That last part was directed emphatically at Raphael.

Raphael took a moment to look over the purple-clad turtle. Then he glanced back down at the human huddling on the couch while he ran his tongue over his teeth.

"You're Leo's _friend_ , huh?"

Mona Lisa just slumped deeper into the couch, uncomfortable with the dark gaze taking in every inch of her.

"Since he's not with you, I'm assuming you didn't find him?" Donatello cut in.

"Nah, Leo's in the wind," Michelangelo confirmed. "We found the Foot, but they were just wandering around with their thumbs up their asses. Leo was already long gone, probably laughing all the way."

"Yeah," Raphael added, "knowing him, he's out doubling back and doubling-doubling back to make sure they never find him. We won't see him for a few hours."

"At least he seems to be okay," Donatello said.

Mona Lisa let out a slow breath. She wished like hell Leonardo was here now.

Raphael picked up his feet and plopped into a sad-looking chair, still eyeing the human across from him. "But he's sure got a lot to answer for when he gets back, doesn't he, sugar tits?"

Mona Lisa looked down at the generous cleavage she was showing and self-consciously crossed her arms over herself.

"I'm sure Leo has a very pragmatic explanation for all of this," Donatello said, trying to keep the peace. "He has his reasons."

"Yeah, I see his reasons," Raphael insisted, still undressing the human with his eyes. "Greedy bastard doesn't want to share. Wants to keep all 'a that to himself."

"Dude, I say go Leo," Michelangelo cut in. "I didn't think he had it in him, getting a little sweet somethin' somethin' on the side."

"Guys, she's sitting right there," Donatello complained, fully aware of how uncomfortable Mona Lisa looked.

"How about it, babe?" Raphael said, giving the human a hungry smile. "You like makin' it with monsters? You into the freaky shit? If you wanna get weird with me, I'd be up for it."

Her lip trembled, unnoticed.

"Dude!" Michelangelo said. "I saw this freaky video online with a guy and two chicks and they had this donkey-"

"Fuck off."

The room went silent as the human spoke.

"What'd you say?" Raphael challenged with a frown.

Mona Lisa got to her feet, fists clenched and shaking. "I told you to fuck off. I don't have to take this shit. I didn't ask to be taken down here and I'm not putting up with this abuse. I'm a fucking _person_! My name isn't baby doll or sweet cheeks. And it's sure as HELL not sugar tits, you asshole."

As the turtles all stared at her, she snatched up her coat and her ugly sweater and stormed out the entrance way with such speed, the brothers were stupefied as to what just happened.

"Dude," Michelangelo finally spoke. "When Leo finds out, he's gonna beat your ass."

"Like this is all my fault," Raphael protested. "What about the shit you were just talking?"

As the two began to bicker, Donatello slipped out, following the human's retreat. He soon found Mona Lisa didn't get far when he discovered her kneeling in putrid water, vomiting into the drainage system. She looked up at him, wiping her mouth. Her skin was drained of color, her body shaking. Something had happened to this girl, something before this night and far more traumatic. Leonardo's decision to shield her from the rest of his family suddenly seemed quite wise.

Donatello crouched down next to her, giving her the most comforting smile he could as he extended a hand to her. "Here, let me take you home."

She nodded, letting him pull her to her feet as she put her coat back on. The ugly Christmas sweater, covered in bile, was left behind in the sewer.

* * *

When they reached Mona Lisa's neighborhood, Donatello felt by then she was probably sick with them all and he should just let her go. However, his more prudent side dictated that he should probably make sure the Foot had not discovered where she lived.

Despite whatever personal feelings she had against the other brothers, Mona Lisa followed Donatello up the fire escape and allowed him entrance to her apartment. She had really been hoping to find Leonardo crouched outside her window as always, waiting for her, but he was nowhere to be found.

Donatello looked around the tiny apartment as she tiredly threw her coat on the floor and trudged inside. He had never seen such simple living conditions. A mattress at one end, TV on the other. Not a table or chairs to be found. And he thought his family lived with meager furnishings. Never had he imagined that any human had so little.

"Here," Mona Lisa said, gathering Leonardo's discarded blades and handing them to his brother. "He'll want these back."

Donatello's mouth dropped open. Obviously, he had previously assumed that wherever Leonardo was hiding, he had his weapons with him. There was question in the turtle's eyes, but Mona Lisa didn't oblige. She had no more strength for further explanations.

"Do you want me to let you know when Leo makes it back home?" Donatello offered. "I can text you if you like."

"Oh, that would be great, if you don't mind. Can I get your number, too?"

Donatello smiled. "Sure. I'll also give you Leo's number. Not that he really carries his phone around... or touches it... or even looks at it. Maybe that will change if he knows you could be calling him."

She smiled a little at that and Donatello found himself thinking she was really cute when she smiled.

"Hey, listen, I'm sorry about my brothers. We don't... really get a lot of visitors and we haven't had a whole lot of practice with hospitality... or manners."

She shook her head. "It's fine. Thanks for walking me home."

Donatello took the hint. He took one last look around the modest living quarters, noticing Michelangelo's Christmas tree hat on the floor, and then he was gone.

Now alone, Mona Lisa sat herself on the floor, knees to her chest as she looked around. Surrounded by everything calm and safe and familiar, she once more felt as if she would never be the same again. It was a long time before she finally picked herself up, showered and got ready for bed.

Even in the dark, blanket pulled to her chin, she watched the ceiling, brain swirling with thoughts of Leonardo and the rest of his family. As hard as she tried, she couldn't sleep, not if he was still out there in the cold. It hurt that there was nothing else she could do but lay in her nice warm bed and hope.

It was nearly 2 AM when her cell phone pinged about a new text message. Mona Lisa reached over to read it: LEO'S BACK. HE'S OKAY.

For a moment, Mona Lisa thought she'd break into sobs. But eventually her racing heart slowed and she fell into a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**.**

 **When Leo Met Mona 3**

 **By: Ty-Chou**

The Christmas Eve shift wasn't too bad. They were a bit understaffed at the restaurant due to most of the employees wanting that day off. However, the patrons were in good holiday spirits and the service went well enough. Tips were more generous than normal as customers felt the need to reimburse the wait staff for working the holiday. Mona Lisa was more than okay with that. She didn't have anywhere else to be that night, might as well be making some good money.

Her feet were faring better now in the heels required for work, but it was bitter cold out and she was glad she wore warm winter boots to commute to and from work this night.

With black heels dangling from her fingers, Mona Lisa rode the elevator to the top floor, exhausted. It was nearly 1AM and it had been a busy, high-energy night. She was ready to flop face first onto her mattress and pass out.

As she fished out her keys and fiddled with the stubborn door lock to her apartment, she became aware of a much larger form looming behind her. For a moment, she froze, heart racing.

"Hey," came the familiar voice.

Grinning, she didn't have to look behind her as she pushed the door open and allowed her visitor inside.

"I waited in the stairwell," Leonardo said as he watched her toss her heels in the corner. "It's a bit colder than normal tonight. I thought you would approve."

With the door closed behind them, Mona Lisa turned to inspect the large turtle for herself. Despite Donatell's text saying Leonardo had made it home after their encounter with the Foot, she had been itching to see his well-being for herself. Leonardo was still in one piece. He had a bandage around his bicep in the same place she remembered seeing nothing but a bloody mess. Other than that, he didn't seem to have any other injuries. His twin katanas were once again strapped to his back as usual.

"You okay?" she asked, nodding toward his bandage.

Leonardo rubbed his injured arm, a bit irritated he was hit with a bullet in the first place. "Yeah, it's healing fast. Mutant blood and all."

"Good, I'm glad. I hope you don't regret taking me out that night. It was really neat, I had fun. Just... wrong place wrong time."

"My mistake for forgetting the city is still very dangerous." He reached out to touch the thick hair adorning her shoulders. "I won't forget again, not when you're involved."

She flushed a little and glanced away self-consciously.

"I also owe you an apology for my brothers," he went on. "I heard they weren't the most accommodating hosts. They made you uncomfortable. I promise they would never hurt you, but they- we- aren't used to sharing our world with others. Sometimes our manners are a little lacking."

"Well, Donatello was very sweet and considerate at least. And shouldn't you be with your family right now? It's Christmas Eve."

"Technically, it's Christmas Day," Leonardo reminded, glancing at the clock on the microwave. "And everyone back home is passed out on right now."

Mona Lisa smiled at the mental image of massive mutated turtles all snoring away in haphazard piles on that small, beaten couch.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" She suddenly ran to the closet, digging through the clothes. "I never gave you your present." She returned with a paper bag in her clutches. "Sorry it's not wrapped."

Leonardo did not mind at all as he reached outside and pulled out a long, thick scarf striped in dark blue and white. He chuckled a bit as he felt the soft textile with his fingers.

"I know, I know," Mona Lisa said as she took it from him. Leonardo bent down a little so she could wrap it around his neck. "I know you think it's silly, but I worry about you getting cold. And I just... worry about you in general." He was all she had.

She had wrapped him in the scarf more than she really needed to until it had covered most of his face and he was barely peering over it..

"Hey," Leonardo said, holding her gaze with his eyes. "I'm fine. Nothing is going to happen to me, okay?"

Her lower lip trembled before a sob caught in her throat. Leonardo froze, unprepared for that reaction. As quick as it came, Mona Lisa was already fighting to gain her composure.

"Sorry. Sorry, sorry," she insisted as she rubbed her eyes. "I don't know where that came from. It's late, I'm tired."

As she backed away from him, Leonardo moved in, reaching out to gently brush the side of her wet eye with his thumb.

"It's okay," he soothed. "I understand. You don't have to hide it from me."

She smiled at him and sniffed back the tears. He leaned in further, their foreheads almost touching. Her safety meant everything to him and it touched him deeply that she cared so much for his well-being as well. He wished he could find the words to properly express that to her.

His hands traveled from her cheeks down to her shoulders as he pulled her closer. Mona Lisa went up on her toes as she pressed in, completely surprising the turtle by putting her mouth on his.

For a while, Leonardo just stood there, trying to compute what was happening. Her lips were soft and warm against him, but was this what he should be doing? This wasn't right. This beautiful girl shouldn't be doing this with a creature such as he. He shouldn't allow this to happen.

Regretfully, he pulled away from her, but Mona Lisa would have none of it. She followed him, gripping his shoulders as she kissed him again. This time, Leonardo couldn't fight the urge to refrain. He kissed her back as well as he knew how, and it was several moments before they parted.  
When he looked at her again, her eyes shone brightly, face flushed. His hands gently held her shoulders as she tasted her bottom lip.

"Stay tonight," Mona Lisa said, barely more than a whisper. She reached up to fiddle with the scarf, wrapped ridiculously around his head.

Leonardo remained silent, as unmoved as a mountain. He knew better. It was not his place to stay with her. He shouldn't agree to it.

"Stay," she continued. "I want to feel safe tonight. I want to know you're safe."

Damn. She had him then. Playing on his need to protect, his instinct to comfort and care for what he cherished the most. And deep down, there was nothing he wanted more in that moment than to remain there with her for the rest of the night.

"Okay," he said, voice husky.

Their foreheads touched and Mona Lisa smiled, letting out a small laugh. Leonardo treasured those sounds of happiness. He was the cause. He brought her joy; the feeling was alien and warm and thrilling.

She unwound the scarf that she had put on him mere moments before. It fell to the floor at their feet as Mona Lisa then turned her attention to his chest, lightly running her fingers down the ridges of his plastron until she came to the belt. Leonardo watched in amusement as she tried fruitlessly to get it off. Without words, his hands came in to remove the gear himself, shedding his belts and the twin katana on his back.

Meanwhile, Mona Lisa sat herself on the mattress, wriggling out of her nylons and black work skirt. The white button-up blouse that remained covered her down to her thighs.

As she unbuttoned her shirt, Leonardo carefully sat himself on the mattress behind her. This time, he would not look away as the white material fell from her shoulders. She glanced over her shoulder at him as Leonardo touched her hair. Mona Lisa had a great deal of hair. It was thick and full, and pleasant to the touch. She let the turtle run his fingers through it; he enjoying its silky texture while she enjoyed his presence.

Leonardo swept the hair to one side, his finger running over the ridge of her neck and shoulder. The girl rolled her shoulders at the contact, her skin sensitive. He noticed the minute goosebumps raised on her arm as he leaned in and let out a warm breath on the pale skin.

She didn't object when he fingered the thin bra strap, so Leonardo slid them off her shoulders, appraising the now bare skin with his finger tips. When he released the clasp in back, Mona Lisa grabbed the blanket to self-consciously cover her front and Leonardo knew that was as far as she wanted to go that night. He was quite satisfied with that. Just touching her like this seemed an indulgence too good for someone like him.

His large hands descended upon her shoulders, his fingers pressing in to find the stiff cords of muscle. Mona Lisa hunched at first, but then soon relaxed in his hands.

"There's those magic fingers again," she murmured.

"And you're still as sensitive as ever," Leonardo whispered in her ear.

She flushed at the accusation, the bloom of pink going into her chest as well. Leonardo fantasized about one day being able to chase that flush to see how far down it went.

Eventually, the girl went limp against him, blissfully loose and relaxed. It was then Leonardo scooted closer, his arms winding around her, pulling her in. Mona Lisa rested against his chest, her arms overlapping his as he held her close. He rested his chin on her head and they sat there together quietly for several minutes.

After one or two instances of nearly drifting off, Mona Lisa forced herself to move again, grabbing a baggy discarded T-shirt from the foot of the mattress. She slipped it on and turned off the lights before returning to bed.

The mattress was small, Leonardo's bulk taking up most of the room. They had to snuggle in close and neither of them minded. Mona Lisa pressed in close to his chest, the turtle on his side and her head resting on his arm. After she had made herself comfortable, Leonardo's limbs pulled her in, enveloping her, and she was safe from all the rest of the world.

With a soft sigh, Mona Lisa was asleep in minutes, her thick hair splayed over his arm, one small hand pressed to his chest. Leonardo remained awake a while longer, his eyes wandering the darkness of the single-room apartment before his gaze landed on the pale light from the window. It felt serendipitous to come to this point and his thoughts drifted off to when they first met.

* * *

Leonardo had been out wandering rooftops, reveling in the thrill of being alone and undetected by the world below. After April, after defeating Shredder, Splinter was more lenient about his sons' excursions to the surface. Leonardo could tell his sensei wasn't always happy about allowing them to grow up, but it was something necessary for their development in becoming adults.

Usually, if they went topside, they went as a team and kept an eye on each other. But Leonardo would sneak up alone to listen to the sounds of the city, to have a moment to look at the stars and hear his own thoughts. He also took personal glee at sharpening his skills of being as a shadow. At times, he would crouch close to the humans, so close he could reach out and touch them, and they would never know he was there at all. While his brothers often wondered what it would be like to live among people, Leonardo always preferred being a fly on the wall, observing without being noticed.

On one such night, when the chill winter air was being chased away by the promise of spring, Leonardo observed something that put him into action. It wasn't the first time he had intercepted a crime in progress. That, too, honed his skills and gave him a certain thrill at thwarting evil while not leaving a trace. So when he witnessed three men surrounding a frightened young woman, he did not hesitate to intervene.

The leader of the group had the woman pinned to the brick wall, his knee thrust between her thighs while he held a knife to her throat. His two cronies cackled as they moved in, blocking all exits. Their glee at her helplessness rose as the leader snaked his free hand up the girl's skirt.

"Now, be a good girl and we'll make sure you enjoy this," he hissed. "Fight me, and I'll slit your fucking throat."

The woman's response was trying to kick him in the groin. Unfortunately, she wasn't in the best position and she merely managed to hit him in the thigh. Enraged at the attack, the man shoved her against the brick wall.

"Dumb bitch! Didn't you hear what I just said? I'll cut you!"

"Do it, then, you chicken shit," the woman hissed, hatred and fire in her eyes. "I'll die before I let a disgusting pig like you touch me without a fight and you can fuck my dead corpse."

Leonardo cut the drama short as he swept in, knocking into one of the would-be rapists and flinging him against a building. The thug fell to the ground, instantly unconscious from the impact.

The second one spun around, eyes wide.

"What the hell..."

He saw Leonardo's bulk in the shadows and panicked, pulling a gun from the waist of his pants. Leonardo drew his blade, the metal reflecting off the glimmer of the streetlights.

"What is it?" the thug panicked. "Stay away from me!"

He fired, the bullet ricocheting off the lightning-quick blade. Leonardo rushed forward, a well-placed punch to the jaw rendering the second person out cold on the ground. When the turtle turned to face the final attacker, he found the man already on the ground, his knife far from his reach. He was curled up, trying to protect himself as the woman kicked him in the ribs and face, even the groin, growling every horrible name she could think to call him.

The stunned man's face was bloody by now and he was hardly able to do more than use his arms to protect his head. Leonardo came up from behind, grabbing the girl by the arms and backing her away from her would-be attacker. She struggled to continue to assault the man as she screamed, "Never again! Do you hear me?! Never again!"

If Leonardo had been more human sized, she may have broken from his grasp with how hard she fought. She still almost did, he was so stunned by her reaction. Most victims he saved were startled and meek in the wake of his rescues. They felt his unnatural presence and were afraid at having something so different in their midst. This girl had all but ignored him and she was furious- nearly hysterical. Something traumatic had happened to her in the past and it had changed her forever.

The sharp squall of police sirens filled his ears and flashing lights flickered into the alley. Leonardo let go of the girl for a second and she was already charging back to finish pounding in the thug's face. The last thing Leonardo wanted was for this girl to get arrested for assault when she had clearly been through enough already. Against his better judgment, he grabbed her and raced into the shadows before the police ever noticed they were there.

They flew through block after block, Leonardo's keen sight guiding him effortlessly through the pitch dark alleyways. When the sirens were too far away to hear, he finally slowed his pace and the woman in his arms began to fight for release. He dropped her and she whirled around, breathing hard as if she had been the one running. The faint light from a neon sign caught her flushed face and she stared at him with hard eyes. A hardness she never used on him again.

One deep breath, two, and the hardness dissolved from her expression. Something lost and vulnerable took its place and her big expressive eyes never left his face. Eyes that accepted what he was instantly, that did not question or fear his appearance. She only looked at him helplessly like the world were crumbling beneath her feet and she had nothing else solid to cling to.

Something swelled in Leonardo's chest and he wanted nothing more than protect this person until the end of time.

* * *

It was early, too early even for the sun to come out when Leonardo removed himself from the bed as carefully as he could. He turned to quietly put on his gear when a lamp light flicked on behind him.

"Not even staying for breakfast?" Mona asked.

He turned and smiled at her. "Very tempting, but I need to get home. I wasn't intending to stay out all night."

"Well if you ever intend to, you know you're always welcome."

His eyes wandered over her sleepy smile and that full nest of messy hair. Something changed tonight, their relationship had shifted and Leonardo wasn't sure he wanted to keep it slow or attack it at full speed. He only knew that he wanted it in his life and any complications that came with it.

He leaned over to brush hair from her face and kiss her forehead. When he pulled back, he noticed an old ID sitting on her nightstand and studied it.

"Your real name is Ramona?" he demanded, somewhat disappointed.

"Ramona Elisa," she replied with far less alarm. "Mona Lisa was what my mom always called me."

He returned the bit of plastic, frowning a little as she grinned.

"Remind me not to keep any big secrets from you."

Leonardo was suddenly reminded he had no room for judging about secrets and let it go. "I'll see you again soon."

"You better," she said as she stretched lazily in bed.

Leonardo was tempted to forgo the cold trek home and climb back in bed. But he managed to make it to the door.

"And if you ever want to bring over Donatello for a movie night or something, I'd like that," she called.

Leonardo smiled back. "Sounds good, I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Leonardo entered the main living area of the lair, noting two of the three brothers were still snoozing on the couch where he left them, the fuzzy TV relaying an infomercial about cleaning products at a low volume. He smiled at them and moved on to his room only to be blocked by Raphael's larger form.

"Hey bro," he said in a groggy voice. His eyes were a bit unfocused as he was still working off last night's Christmas party. "Aren't you a puzzle."

"Uh, hey Raph," he responded carefully. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you've clearly been gone all night. You come back smelling of a woman but," he paused to breathe in deep, "you don't smell like sex. So what'cha been doin'?"

Leonardo's response was a silent "I don't have to tell you anything" expression and Raphael looked like he was expecting such a response. The red clad turtle was still too tired to get into it properly at the moment. But no doubt it would be brought up again and both of them knew it.

"Mornin' guys," Michelangelo said as he approached from behind, trying to pad over to the kitchen area. He got close to Leonardo and then leaned in even closer. "Dude, you smell good. Let me get another whiff of that."

He moved in close to nearly nuzzle Leonardo's neck and the blue clad turtle shoved him away.

"Ugh, get off, both of you," he protested and then stalked off to his room.

Michelangelo and Raphael were both smirking behind him and, as Leonardo retired to his room, he was smiling a bit to himself as well.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: I am in the middle of a fanfiction dump that started around the middle of December, in which I am just dumping a lot of projects that have been sitting in my computer. This is part of it and the last fanfiction post I am making of 2017. Happy New Years everyone!

 **When Leo Met Mona 4**

 **By: Ty-Chou**

"My brothers want to see you again."

Mona Lisa paused at the sink as she cleaned dishes. She didn't answer right away.

"You don't have to agree to it," Leonardo continued. "I just wanted to let you know that there is an open invitation to come to my home if you want to take it sometime."

She went back to scrubbing before setting the newly cleaned plates in the rack to dry.

"My sensei would like to see you, too."

At that statement, Mona Lisa turned from her task. She knelt down across from Leonardo where he sat on the floor. "What did you tell him about me?"

He smiled. "Only good things."

Mona Lisa did not return the grin. "Leo." Her gaze remained fixed on him, patiently waiting for a full answer to her question. Leonardo had done this to her several times to get information. She had learned his ways and was now turning them against him.

"I told him how we met. I told him we've been friends ever since."

 _"What is your relationship with her?" were the exact words Splinter had asked._

 _Kneeling before his master, Leonardo neutrally said, "She is my friend."_

 _Splinter watched him silently, eternally patient. Leonardo had learned this same trick from his master, but whenever Splinter stared at him expectantly like that, the truth always fell unbidden from the turtle's mouth._

 _"She is my very dear friend," he clarified softly, cheeks warm._

 _Splinter smiled knowingly. "I see. Then we will all take care to receive her better the next time." He raised his head, looking past the oldest to the doorway. "Won't we?"_

 _Leonardo glanced behind him as he heard shuffling from other turtle bodies scrambling away, pretending they weren't eavesdropping on the conversation._

"I see," Mona Lisa responded. She pulled her feet out from under her, fiddling with her loose hair as her gaze wandered off in thought. Leonardo's sensei asked to see her. The one time she had been down to the lair, the old rat hardly glanced her way, too concerned about his son's whereabouts for anything else. Her entire experience in the lair had not been pleasant. She did not look forward to doing it again.

"Mona Lisa," Leonardo said quietly, ducking to try to catch her gaze. "Do you want to come formally meet my family? This time, I'll be there with you."

She let out a long breath. "Can I ask you why you never told them about me?"

He blinked at her, unprepared for that question. He had to think about it for a moment. It was difficult to find the best words to explain. "I wasn't sure how or when would be the best way to do it. I've never done this before. I've never... kept a secret from my family before."

Mona Lisa brushed some hair from her face and scooted closer. "So why did you?"

He looked at her for several moments, his brow furrowed. "I worry you'll get angry with me if I tell you the truth."

"I make no promises. Now be a man and spit it out."

Leonardo huffed out a depreciating laugh. "I honestly wasn't sure if you were ready for them. They are a lot to handle all at once—as you saw. They're crass and they're loud. And I knew eventually one of them was going to say something that would upset you. And I know they _did_ when I wasn't there. I didn't want that to happen to you."

"Are you saying you were protecting me from them?"

"In a way." He quickly added, "I know you are so strong and independent. I know you can hold your own when anyone, including my brothers, says something disrespectful to you. But it doesn't mean I will willingly let that happen to you."

Mona Lisa was not mad, but that did give her something to think about. "When do you want me to come over?"

* * *

April trudged through the sewer in an irritated mood. New Years Eve in New York City. She could be anywhere doing anything on this night of nights, but no. She had stupidly agreed to chaperon a group of giant mutant turtles who didn't know how to behave themselves in front of new people.

The fact that there was a new person in question, however, did intrigue her. April had been very surprised when it was Leonardo and not any one of the other brothers who called her, asking if she would be present to this party in order to encourage his brothers to behave themselves. Also, so that this mystery friend of his would see another human woman and feel like she wasn't so outnumbered at this party. The only reason April agreed to come was because in truth she was dying to know about this other person and get in on the family gossip. Even if it came at the cost of spending one New Years Eve in the sewers.

"April! Babe!" came the boisterous greeting of Michelangelo as she stepped into the lair. "Glad you could make it. I saved you a spot right here when the ball drops." He pointed to his mouth.

"Hey," she replied casually, completely immune to the orange-clad turtle's flirting.

Donatello walked in right then. "Hi April. Nice new coat."

"Oh, thanks for noticing. I got it for Christmas."

"I see you brought booze."

April looked down at the two cases she carried. "Oh, yeah, yeah. Take them, please. I had to haul it all the way down here. No way I'm doing this sober tonight."

"I hear that," Michelangelo said.

Each turtle took a case from her and she shook out her sore fingers.

"You could have called one of us to help carry them down," the purple-clad turtle added.

She smiled. Donatello was always so sweet. "Thanks. I'll do that next time." She paused then said, "So is Leonardo's … friend here yet?"

"Not yet. He went to go get her. They should be back any minute. They're bringing food, too."

"Okay..." She tossed her new coat on a chair and then started tapping her foot. April was very bad at waiting. She idly entertained the thought of starting the drinking now when Raphael entered the main area.

"Hey April, how's it going?"

She smirked at him knowingly. "Fine." She kept giving him that look.

"What?" he demanded.

"So, Raph..."

"Yeah?"

"You know that guy I dated the other night?"

"Yeah?"

"The douche who threw a fit because I wouldn't invite him up to my place? Who called me a bitch and a cocktease."

"Yeah."

"Did you know his car got trashed last night?"

Raphael looked away, chewing on a toothpick in satisfaction. "Nah, I don't know nothing about that."

"But you did know I went on a date, despite the fact that I never told a single one of you guys about it."

Raphael said nothing. He didn't look sorry.

April smirked back at him. She couldn't bring herself to condone the act of vandalism, or the spying, but she appreciated knowing they were out there, showing they cared about her in their own brash and awkward ways.

"Oh, hey, everyone's here," came a familiar voice behind her. April turned to see Leonardo step inside, with an impressive pile of pizza boxes. Behind him, a human girl with grocery bags in her arms. "Thanks for coming, April."

"No problem."

"Yes! Pizza!" Michelangelo cheered, immediately taking the boxes from his brother. "Pizza, pizza, pizza!" He paused and inspected the bag still hanging from Leonardo's wrist that contained various packages of cookies and one bag of chips.

"Aw, just one bag of Doritos?"

The new woman held up her grocery bags, stuffed full of Doritos. "More like one bag for each."

"Oh my God, marry me!"

Leonardo made a dismissive motion to his brother and Michelangelo moved on to put the pizzas on the table. April followed him and retrieved one of the bottled beers she brought. She popped the lid off on the edge of the worn table in one motion.

"April," Leonardo introduced, "this is my friend Mona Lisa. Mona, this is April O'Neil."

April just nodded as she took a long pull of her drink.

Mona Lisa nodded politely. She knew the turtles had another female friend, but she wasn't prepared to meet this tall, leggy redhead that looked like she walked right out of a fashion magazine. She self-consciously tucked some hair behind her ear, wishing she had done something more with it.

"Hi, April. It's nice to meet you."

"Is Mona Lisa really your name?"

"Yes. I'm afraid so."

At that point, Splinter chose to make his entrance. "Ah, so glad to see everyone arrived here safely."

April just nodded to him and took another drink.

Splinter walked up to Mona Lisa and extended a bony hand to her. She hesitated slightly before taking it. Splinter placed the second hand on top of hers. "We are so happy to have you here. Leonardo speaks highly of you. I am sorry we were not better prepared for visitors the first time you came down."

Mona Lisa just smiled and nodded shyly in response.

"Come, my child. Come sit on the couch and tell me about yourself."

April watched them go with Leonardo following after. Michelangelo came up to her, a slice of pizza and each hand.

"So, the sweet, timid doe-eyed girl is Leo's type, huh?" she commented to him.

"She told Raph to fuck off."

April snorted. "Really? Maybe she's got a little bite to her after all. Where'd Leo find her?"

Michelangelo chewed noisily on his pizza. "Dunno. He doesn't really talk about it." They both watched the scene on the couch for a bit as Splinter continued to speak to their new guest. "You think she and Leo are doing it?"

April snorted loudly. "Ha, I doubt it. Any one of you guys would completely wreck a normal woman. If even an attempt was made, that girl wouldn't be walking straight."

Michelangelo took his turn to snort. "That's why I love you. You tell it like it is."

She raised her bottle in a mock toast and took another swig.

"Oh, hey, Leo's girlfriend is here," Raphael said as he came into the kitchen area. The guys were always wandering in and out of the rooms, April noticed, no matter if there were guests or not. They said they were turtles, but they were more like sharks, unable to stop moving, as if being in one place too long would cut off their air.

The red-clad turtle took a slice of pizza from the top box and wandered again, this time into the living room. The conversation on the couch halted when he approached. His gaze was directly on Mona Lisa and he could tell she was struggling not to be intimidated by his presence.

"Hey, um... glad you could come tonight," he said awkwardly.

"Uh... thanks," came the equally uncomfortable reply.

There was a span of silence. Splinter cleared his voice expectantly as he looked at his largest son.

Raphael sighed. "So, listen. The last time we met, you were right. I was being an asshole. I'm sorry for the things I said. You didn't deserve it."

"Me, too," Michelangelo chimed in. "We didn't mean to make you feel bad. Can we have a do over?"

Mona Lisa sat up straight and looked Raphael in the eyes. For some reason, his cheeks began to feel a bit warm at her stare. Her eyelashes were so thick making her eyes look bigger. "That's fine. Apology accepted." She added with a narrowing of her eyes. "Don't do it again."

Raphael was taken aback at the sudden order. Leonardo looked exceptionally proud. Instead of getting mad, Raphael snorted with a smirk and went back to the kitchen to get himself a beer. The others on the couch soon followed after and everyone dug into the food as the fourth brother walked back in, a random contraption in his hand as he fiddled with it.

"Donatello."

The purple-clad turtle looked up at his name as saw Mona Lisa smiling at him. "Oh, hey. Hi."

"It's good to see you." She moved in to hug him.

Donatello stiffened, unused to the motion. "Oh? Oh, is this happening?"

She pulled back. "Do you not want it to?"

"No, no. I want it."

She grinned. "Good." And hugged him as best she could around his wide torso. He patted her back awkwardly, which only endeared him to her more.

"Why does Donnie get all the sugar?" Michelangelo whispered in protest.

"So Mona, what is it you do?" April then asked as they all munched on food together, standing around the table.

Mona Lisa took a moment to finish what she had in her mouth before replying. "I've been waitressing. A couple different places actually. Although-" she paused and glanced at Leonardo. "I forgot to tell you, I have a job interview next Monday for a fancy genetics research lab." At Donatello's wide-mouthed expression she added with a grin, "To answer the phones, Donatello. They're looking for a secretary."

"Oh, yes. Of course."

"Is it a good job?" Leonardo asked.

"It sounds good. The pay sounds really good, actually. I might not have to work three jobs any more."

"You work three different waitressing jobs?" April asked, impressed. "Damn."

"No one wants to hire full time. I have one for days, one for nights, and one for weekends. But this job is full time. Benefits, health care, it's all included. I can finally go to the dentist."

April saluted her, going on her second beer.

"How did you get this interview?" Leonardo asked. He honestly had no idea how getting jobs worked in the human world. Especially finding one that sounded this good.

"I guess the owner is a semi-regular at one of the places I work. He heard me answering phones and gave me his card, said he was looking for a new secretary. Not that the job's in the bag yet, but he asked me to apply so I have a good chance of getting it." She smiled at Leonardo. "I might get more nights off than just one a week."

"Ooh, la la, yeah. Free nights for a sexy hook up," Michelangelo intoned.

Raphael slapped the back of his head. "Don't you have a filter?"

At Leonardo's stern look, the orange-clad turtle muttered a quick apology.

"The trick is to tune Mikey out," April counseled. "Being down here is much easier that way. All I hear is just white noise when he talks."

"Aw, girl. Don't do me that way."

"See? Just noise."

Mona Lisa grinned.

* * *

After eating, the group gathered in the living room to play games. April had brought several board and card games when she first met them so they would have something to do together while she got to know them better. Uno was, surprisingly, a favorite game of all four turtles and the entire group sat in a circle on the floor and played it well into the night.

"Aw, shit, Raph, your number's up boy!" Michelangelo announced as he played a yellow Draw Two over a yellow six card.

"Yeah, hurry and draw two Raphael so I can win," Mona Lisa grinned at him, only one card left in her hand. The boys were very lively and competitive about their card games. Lots of shit talk was going around and Mona Lisa was having a blast with it.

Raphael grinned evilly at her. "Not so fast, brown eyes, bam!" He slapped down a blue Draw Two card, bringing the total to four cards. "You can suck my dick." The second it came out of his mouth, he wished he could take it back. He was used to shit-talking his brothers. Sensei and Leo both were going to beat his ass for forgetting his manners at their guest.

"You can suck MY dick, you giant hippo!" Mona Lisa instantly retorted. " _And_ lick my balls!" She slapped down a Plus Four Wild Card and raised her empty palms. "I win."

"Hippo?!" Raphael demanded.

"Oooooh!" Michelangelo and April jeered together.

Back at the table, Leonardo and Donatello had sat out that hand as they munched on what food remained.

"She seems to be fitting right in, it just took a little time," the purple-clad turtle said.

Leonardo made a sound of agreement as he chewed.

Donatello was suddenly reminded of a question he meant to ask Leonardo at an earlier time, but never got around to. "Is she... okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"The last time she was here, I got the impression she may have... I guess... been through something. I'm no expert, but she seemed to be expressing some symptoms of PTSD when the guys upset her."

Leonardo frowned, his gaze now more of a glare.

"Not that they did anything to her," Donatello floundered to retract his accusation. "I think just their brashness combined with the stress of the evening wore her down. It's not like-"

"You're right," the blue-clad turtle confirmed. "Something did happen to her. Something bad."

"What happened?"Donatello asked softly.

Leonardo sighed. "I don't know. She's never told me about it."

"I see." He paused. "You never tried to ask?"

"We don't really nose into each others' business."

"Then what do you two talk about?"

"Just the little things. We watch a lot of movies."

"Dudes! Dudes! It's almost midnight!" Michelangelo announced to the entire lair as he jumped to his feet. "Quick! Turn on the TV!"

All stray members wandered back into the living room, scrambling to fill various cups with whatever drinks suited them. The Times Square Ball was already dropping on the screen, the crowd counting down the seconds. Entire group joined in.

"Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!"

Noise-makers and confetti-poppers came out of nowhere, as well as many loud bellows. Mona Lisa covered her ears from the explosion of sound. There was multicolored streamers and confetti all over her hair and in her drink. But she seemed to still be enjoying herself.

Michelangelo immediately turned to April, fully expecting a New Year's kiss. She waved him away, completely focused on Leonardo and the new member of this group. What would the two of them do in response to this holiday tradition? Following April's gaze, she soon wasn't the only one eyeing them to see what would happen.

The two in question seemed very aware curious eyes were upon them. Leonardo feigned nonchalance, pretending he had no expectation whatsoever. Mona Lisa was a bit more obviously fidgety. She hesitated a few times, glancing around, then quickly reached up and gave Leonardo a peck on the side of his face, fast as a snake's strike.

On the other side of her stood an oblivious Donatello. He had no idea what was coming before Mona Lisa placed a hand on the far side of his face. She turned his chin towards him and gave him a much longer kiss to his cheek. Or as least as high up as she could reach on the tall turtle. Donatello just stood there, wide-eyed. When she let him go, his glasses were fogged a bit and he wandered off in a daze, Mona Lisa grinning after him.

* * *

Eventually, the party began to wind down. April, despite her previous hopes to leave the party early and catch some of the topside festivities, had passed out on the couch and would not be woken for anything. The boys had draped a few blankets on her and let her sleep.

Leonardo returned his Christmas scarf around his neck and escorted Mona Lisa out of the lair to take her home. The two were allowed to leave by themselves and Leonardo was silently grateful no one else offered to accompany them. He enjoyed the party, but it was nice to have some quiet time after. The two walked companionably together in the darkness until their hands found each other.

Upon reached Mona Lisa's apartment building, she went in first, as usual, and then let Leonardo in through the roof entrance before secreting him into her studio apartment. Once he was inside, Mona Lisa closed the door and leaned her back against it with a long breath.

"Woo! That was quite a night."

"Did you have fun?" Leonardo asked.

She grinned. "I did. And I have to say, your family is starting to grow on me."

A mixture of relief and gratitude showed on the turtle's face. "I'm glad. They really do mean well. If you ever need anything, they will be there for you."

Her smile softened. "I'm glad you have them."

"I have you, too."

She made a sound of agreement as she crossed the space between them. "You plan on staying for a while?"

Leonardo watched her with a bemused expression as she stepped into his personal space, her fingertips lightly touching his chest. Her face was a little flushed from the alcohol she consumed that night. "I will if you want me to."

She moved closer, pressing against him. "I'd like that."

His hands landed on her shoulders, slowly rubbing down her back. Leonardo would have liked to focus on this moment and how close she was, but Donatello's earlier questions kept niggling at his thoughts.

"So, I was thinking..."

"Hm?" she asked as she looked up at him with hooded eyes.

"We've never let conversations get too personal, you know that?"

She smirked. "You want to ask me questions. Is that how it is now?" Mona Lisa turned from him, pulling her hair up into a sloppy bun. "This calls for pajamas, then."

The side of Leonardo's mouth ticked up as he watched her fish through clothes on the floor. He half expected her to get irritated for him for suggesting it. After all, it had been an unspoken rule between them to never dig too deep in each other's lives, merely skim the surface. But Mona Lisa never did get angry with him for speaking his mind or being frank with her. He appreciated that about her.

"You can ask me questions, too," he insisted.

"A trade off, then." Mona Lisa kicked off her jeans and slipped on a pair of flannel pants. She plopped herself on her floor mattress and Leonardo sat nearby, leaning against the wall. "Can I go first?"

"If you'd like."

"Fine. Where do you come from?"

He blinked at her for a moment. She didn't even have to think about what question she wanted to ask.

"Wow, we really haven't talked about much, have we?"

"No. We just kind of... accepted each other as is. I mean, I knew you had a family. I knew you had to keep yourselves hidden. I knew you trained in martial arts. I don't know WHY you trained in martial arts. That's about it."

"I didn't even think about it. Huh." Leonardo looked at the ceiling thoughtfully, well aware Mona Lisa's intense gaze was on him, trying to will him into answering. He looked back at her. "The most satisfactory answer is to say we came from a lab."

Mona Lisa leaned back on her hands, blowing a few stray strands of hair from her face. "I guessed it would be something like that. It was either that or aliens. The science project sounded more plausible to me." She paused. "So, this project, was it successful or unsuccessful?"

He shrugged. "I guess that depends on your perspective. We weren't the desired result, if that's what you're asking."

Mona Lisa leaned closer, clearing intrigued. "Wh... Can I ask... what are you? Or, what were you before the experiment? Human? Turtle? Were you even anything?"

"I was a turtle, as were my brothers. Just regular little box turtles." This time, Leonardo paused. "Does that... change anything?"

"Of course not. Knowing something new about you doesn't change who you are to me. Honestly, none of this surprises me. No matter where you came from, you're still my big, caring turtle boyfriend." Mona Lisa's eyes immediately widened at her slip and slapped a hand over her mouth.

Leonardo raised a brow in intrigue. "Boyfriend?"

She covered her face with her hands as her face burned. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out that way." Embarrassingly, she had been amusingly referring to Leonardo as her 'turtle boyfriend' in her head since Christmas. She just never planned on saying that out loud.

With a smirk, Leonardo let her stew in that for a moment before speaking. "I guess that's one of the things we should have talked about when we were busy trying not to talk about things." He then added. "I don't mind the title of 'turtle boyfriend' unless you're using it to differentiate between me and your other boyfriends."

Mona Lisa snorted in her hands and then look up at him. She was still trying to process that Leonardo was accepting the boyfriend thing when he grabbed her wrist and gently tugged her closer.

"Your face is really red."

"It's really hot in here all of a sudden," she replied, fanning herself. Why was blood still rushing to her face like this? Having a boyfriend wasn't _that_ big a deal, was it? Even if it was of the turtle variety. She was the one who started it, now why was her heart racing in a sudden panic?

"Are you okay?" Leonardo asked. Her embarrassment seemed to have changed into a kind of distress.

"I-I don't know." She pulled away, tugging at her collar to try to cool her temperature a little. "I know I'm acting dumb. I guess I'm not used to dealing with relationships."

Leonardo leaned back to give her space. "Hey, it's just me. And honestly, I kind of felt this relationship was already going in this direction before we attempted to put a name to it."

She made a name noise of agreement and then took a few more deep breaths. Soon, her heart began to settle and her face didn't feel quite so hot. Leonardo was happy to see her calm down, but her reaction brought up old questions he still wanted answered.

Mona Lisa seemed to read his mind. "Your turn to ask questions?"

A part of him didn't want to bring it up now, but he didn't know when else there would be a chance like this. The words tumbled out of his mouth. "I know something happened to you. Something that I see haunts you every now and then. Can I... is there anything I can do to help you with it?"

Mona Lisa blinked at him in surprise. The "what happened to you?" she thought she was going to get changed into a "can I help you?" That alone touched her heart. He was still giving her a way out. She didn't have to tell him all the details, just confirm if she felt safe or not. But she couldn't do that to him. She owed him more than that.

Leonardo watched her carefully as she pulled her sweater over her head. Though she had changed clothes with him in the room multiple times, she had always turned from him before. She sat before him in PJ pants and a pale blue bra. A long scar ran visibly between her breasts down to her navel.

"I was seventeen and I was walking home from work late at night. A man I had never met before pushed me into an alley. He held a knife to my neck and told me he would kill me if I screamed. I remember being told before if anything like this were to happen, to not fight back. That it wasn't worth risking my life. So I let him do what he wanted."

She paused and gave Leonardo's concerned face a mirthless smile. Then she glanced away. "But when it started, I hated myself. I hated the fact that I gave up so easily. I struggled and he hit my head against the wall or... the ground? I'm not sure, I don't remember it very well. When I came back into consciousness, he was nearly finished with me. Then he sliced me and said 'I own you. You will never forget me.'"

Leonardo looked like he wanted to say something, but Mona Lisa wasn't finished.

"He was right, I never forgot him. Every time I looked in a mirror, there he was. He gave me a reminder that I was not done fighting. I was at that police precinct every single day until they stopped sitting on their goddamn backlogs of rape kits and processed mine. I called countless other precincts in this state and others and found other victims of the same MO. Once the police were finally on his tail, they caught him fast. I was the only one of his victims who wasn't too scared to testify in court. He sat less than ten feet away from me, staring and grinning like he still owned me. But I looked him in the face as I testified and that grin quickly disappeared. When they took him away, I said to him 'I own you now.'

"That man died a violent death in prison only two months later and I haven't lost a wink of sleep over it since." She paused to look the turtle in the face as she touched the scar on her chest. "This thing he left me was a reminder, Leonardo, of how much I hated myself at that moment when I chose not to fight back. If it ever happens again, they are going to get more hell than they ever bargained for. And maybe they'll still beat me, but they will fucking remember me."

Leonardo listened to it all with a neutral mask while his emotions churned inward. He went through terror, anger, surprise, and even a bit of pride. When her story was over, Mona Lisa was shaking and breathing hard.

"I've never told anyone that before," she admitted.

Leonardo leaned forward, grasping her arms and gently but firmly pulled her against him. He could still feel her trembling and she offered slight resistance to being coddled. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she quit her half-hearted attempts to avoid his affections. Leonardo pulled her in as she sank against his chest.

"If anyone ever hurts you," Leonardo said in the stillness, "I will finish whatever you leave behind."

She snorted softly in amusement. "Knowing you would murder and hide bodies for me makes me kind of happy."

Leonardo chuckled deep in his chest. Mona Lisa enjoyed the low tones with her ear pressed to his plastron. He pulled his legs up around her. The turtle's whole body dwarfed her, enfolded her, making her feel so safe as his rough fingertips ran over her back and arms.

"That's probably enough questions for tonight."

Mona Lisa made a soft sound against his chest. "Agreed. But there is definitely going to be more questions at a later time. You have opened the flood gates. No topic is now safe."

He chuckled again. "I think I prefer it that way."


End file.
